Looking Back: National Police Week Trip to Honor Kerrie Orozco

Practicing hour after hour and day after day. There was to be no room for error and their mission was accomplished. Who are they? They are the men and women of the Omaha Police Honor Guard and Pipe & Drums and they were on full display in Washington DC for National Police Week.

For them, this year was special. This year they were in DC to represent one of their own, fallen Officer Kerrie Orozco, EOW May 20, 2015. The OPD Honor Guard and Pipes and Drums were given special duties this trip. They were chosen for an elite ceremony at the Pentagon. They would carry the United States Honor Flag to the Pentagon Police to fly at the Pentagon in Kerrie’s Honor. The flag would fly on the same flag pole that remembers those killed on Sept 11, 2001. Later in the week, the Honor Guard was also chosen to present a wreath with Kerrie’s name on it at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Two sacred places, two sacred ceremonies with an Honor Guard and Pipes and Drums group that allowed no room for error. They would be the best of the best representing Officer Kerrie Orozco and the dignity of the entire Omaha Police Department. This task they did not fail, in fact, they excelled.

It’s hard to find the words to describe what it feels like to be in DC with tens of thousands of officers all in their dress uniforms. To look at them and know they were there because, like Omaha, they lost one of their own.

But DC wasn’t about sadness. It was about remembrance and honor and making sure the world knows these officers gave their all. It was about giving all of the fallen officers the respect that they so rightly deserved. It was about forming bonds that may last a lifetime. It was a brotherhood and sisterhood in an exclusive club that no one really wanted to join. It was about sharing in each other’s pain and moving forward.

The week was about honor and respect and our foundation was privileged to be a part of such a dignified week. It was our duty to bring the message of Support Blue to the men and women who protect us and let them know we have their back. We support them for the job that they do. We will continue to spread the Support Blue message wherever we can and encourage others to do the same.